Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

A rose from St. Therese: A story from a salon owner


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

The story I want to share with you today features one of my favorite saints, St. Therese of Lisieux who was born 150 years ago this year. This story comes from Shaela Blanchard, who lives in Colorado. Shaela is a stay-at-home mother of three little ones—11, 3, and 8 months. She is also a business owner.

Learning about saints at Sunday School


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

With everything I have going on this fall, I wasn’t looking for anything else to do. Sometimes I have an idea, though, and I just can’t shake it. That’s how I felt when I first thought about volunteering to teach faith formation at our parish. I haven’t taught Sunday School since the year the pandemic […]

O God, How Great Thou Art


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

The whole weekend I had felt surrounded by God’s presence and love. But as the music washed over me, and I joined my voice to the others in that sacred space, I felt loved, comforted, and so at peace.

A day of grief and happy memories


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

It was just an ordinary day. I was rushing around getting people ready for school, trying to make sure we didn’t miss the bus, explaining the schedule for the day, while keeping half an eye on my phone in case the workday was starting early. Then, all of a sudden, as my younger son was […]

Birthday buddies


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

Six years ago, when my sister was expecting her twin boys, I was rooting for them to come on my husband’s birthday. I thought it would be fun for them to share that day together.

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